New Delhi for “playing politics on rehabilitation of flood victims in disputed territory of Kashmir.” The Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani said yesterday

“The scheduled visit of Prime Minister of India NarendraModi to Kashmir on the occasion of Diwali is a sheer election stunt aimed to woo voters in the Valley,” Geelani said, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters at Hyderpora here.

Elaborating, he said, “For past over a month, Modi did not announce any rehabilitation package for flood victims in Kashmir. Now he suddenly announced to spend Diwali with flood victims while the Indian Air Force sent bills worth Rs 650 crore to the state government for undertaking the much-hyped rescue operations during floods in Kashmir.”

Geelani said during natural calamities in others states of India, the response of the government is quick. “Payment of interim relief of Rs 75000 to those Kashmiris whose houses collapsed in floods is an insult to their injury. For this paltry amount, even debris of the collapsed houses cannot be cleared,” he said.

He said on September 5, the Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh had announced construction of safe zones for Kashmiris Pandits and payment of Rs 20 lakh to each of them. “This clearly shows that BJP-led government does not have any sympathy with Kashmiri Muslims and its only agenda is to strengthen its vote bank,” he said.

“Modi selected Diwali to visit Kashmir but it does not hold any significance for Kashmiris. Besides, he (Modi) wants to shun his communal image and portray himself as a secular person to woo Hindu and Pandit votes in the state,” he said.